Devil Takes A Bride by Devil Takes A Bride

Author:Devil Takes A Bride
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2011-07-27T12:40:09+00:00

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“Not enough to buy my pride,” she declared. “You would never have chosen this—or me—of your own accord. Your insults today made that fact abundantly clear, and for my part, I would not in a million years inflict myself on a husband who has no wish to be married to me.”

He clenched his jaw. “You want to see me grovel, is that it? Will that make you happy?”

“You can grovel if it suits you, I am sure, but it won’t make the slightest difference on my decision. You and I could never suit. It would be hell on earth for someone like me to be wed to a man incapable of love.”

“Who ever told you I’m incapable of love?”

“Your actions, your demeanor, everything about you warns the whole world to stay back, though God knows you’re as lonely a man as I ever met. You kept your distance from your aunt, you’ve pushed me away—you won’t even let yourself care for a silly cat!” She threw an impatient gesture toward the park bench where the girls still clamored around Pasha’s basket. “Shut me out if you must, Devlin, but you can’t go on living your life this way.”

“It wasn’t a real marriage I was suggesting, if you’d give me half a chance to talk!” he retorted, his cheeks flushing. “There’s a far simpler solution than that, and I am prepared to make it worth your while if you’ll go along with it.”

She lifted her eyebrows with a defiant look of inquiry, and then folded her arms across her chest. “This should be interesting.”

“It’s quite elementary. We marry, as instructed, take possession of the money—a week later, we have the match annulled. Go our separate ways. You can name your price.”

“Ah, so now you would bribe me. And pray tell, on what grounds, my noble lord, would we have our match annulled? That I was forced into marriage? You’d need only choose in what order you’d like to duel against all five of the Knight brothers if they caught wind of such a rumor. Or would you prefer an annulment on the grounds of your failure to consummate our union? Wouldn’t that cause a stir in the ton?

A lover of your reputation, unable to perform! But, no. You would carry it off somehow. Your kind always does—no doubt at my expense. Somehow I can’t help feeling I’m the one who would inevitably end up looking the fool. No thanks.”

She heard him curse under his breath as she walked on.

“All right then—forget the annulment.” He caught up to her again with swift, businesslike strides. “We’ll marry, split the money, then petition for a divorce.”

“And both become pariahs for the rest of our lives? An annulment is better than that,” she scoffed.

“Very well.” He came around the front of her, blocking her path. “Here is my final offer. We marry and just—keep to ourselves. Live separate lives.”

“Stay married?” she clarified.

He shrugged, his face unreadable. “You need a husband.

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